65 
vracea being, however, of a more highly finished appearance; or perhaps it 
Ids more of the larv^ of the HeliotUdce. When full fed, the larva measures 
,V two inches in length, rolls in a ring when disturbed, is a true nocturnal 
i,, and subterraneous in its habits, burying in the light vegetable soil or within 
,^ose tufts of the sea-pink. During the day time, it spins a shght silken web 
te earth or amongst dead plants as a puparium, and changes immediately to a 
i brown, smooth, stout pupa, ovoid to the end of the wing-covers, then sharp y 
|al to the anal segment, out of which spring two rather large hooks. It only 
iins a few weeks in the pupa state, the perfect insect appearing in July and 
iast, frequenting the rocky shores of the Isle of Man, near Douglas and 
«an On the continent, this species varies very much, some specimens bsmg 
E,ult to separate from P. flavocinda, whilst others want the yellowish tones 
feh enrich that species ; but I have not yet seen or heard of a single specimen 
lur dark form occurring anywhere except in the Isle of Man, and I thmk that, 
,^e Manx specimens are all of one type, I shall call them " Var. staUces. - 
i Gkegson, Rose Bank, Stanley, Liverpool, lOth July, 1869. 
\ Description of the larva of Flusiainterrogationis.- On June 9th, 1869, I had 
ipleasure to receive the larva, nearly full fed, of this pretty species, from Dr. F. 
ihanan White, who had taken several in Inverness-shire, and who during the 
lious autumn had swept up a few young examples from heather in Ross-shire, 
I of which be kindly sent to me in October. These were barely one-third of an 
klong, and presented the same pattern as the mature larva, bemg of a full 
L colour with the sub-spiracular stripe of sulphur-yellow very conspicuous 
ly fed occasionally on heather till the end of November, and rested on the 
Ls in a curved posture. Only one. however, lived on to nearly the end of March 
i was then half-an-inch long, and, no young shoots appearing on the heather, it fed 
ittle on a blade of grass and sallow catkin ; but one morning I had the mortification 
iseeing it hang lifeless from a stem. _ 
The full grown larva of interrogationis measured nearly one inch and a quarter 
length when stretched out, though it generally had the anterior half of its body 
Led upwards, .being thick in proportion to its length, tapering gradually from 
(e sixth segment to the head which is smallest, the hinder segment tapermg but 
tie. Viewed sideways, the back of the twelfth segment rises a little to the 
jiddle. and slopes rapidly downwards from thence to the anal extremity, the two 
liir of ventral prolegs being equally developed. , . , .i , u«^V 
The gromid colour is a bright and deep full green, but paler on the back, 
Lugh the dorsal stripe is as dark as the sides, and begins wide, narrows, then 
tells wider to an angle in the middle, decreases similarly, and widens towards 
iie end, and is finally edged throughout with greenish-white. This is its course 
^irough all the segments, except the thoracic, where it is more simple and hnear 
The sub-dorsal Hne is greenish-white, finely edged with darker green; and 
lidway between the dorsal and sub-dorsal is a tortuous line of greenish-white on 
.hich are the usual tubercular warts of the same colom-, each bearing a fine brown 
.air. The sub-spiracular stripe is sulphur-yellow, and the belly and legs are not qmte 
10 green as the space between the sub-spiracular and sub-dorsal. 
, The head is green, finely freckled with greenish-white, and having a black 
